Cast Aside

Planning and Being Honest

A/N I realized that I forgot to attach my opening note on the first chapter. This is my third fanfiction but my first for this beloved franchise. I don't own it obviously. First and foremost I want to thank my wonderful amazing Beta, Sophie who has been with me helping make all of my works infinitely better and is helping me again. And for the first time, I also must thank my new friend and fabulous Brit Pick, Bekah! Her help has been so amazing to make sure I don't make too many American mistakes and to answer my questions about London. This chapter is probably the shortest so far so please hang on for the more exciting stuff to come. Also, I wanted to post this earlier this morning but I was too caught up reworking chapter 18. 

Chapter 2

For three days George planned. He tried to remember every detail of the final battle, where he'd been when that bloody wall fell and who else had been there to see it. For the first time in months, George wasn't weighed down by grief. In fact, he was so distracted he hardly even noticed.

Unfortunately, at the end of three days, he reached the annoyingly stark conclusion that he could not do this alone. There were too many variables, too many things that could go wrong. He needed someone to watch his back, someone to make sure he didn't get killed trying to save Fred because what good would that do?

Who should he bring? First he thought maybe Bill. He was a skilled dueler and his job meant he would probably handle the idea of time travel with curious objects better than most. But then he remembered that Fleur was pregnant. Even if his older brother would be willing to risk his life for the chance to save Fred, George would never ask that of him.

Charlie was an obvious second choice, but ultimately George settled on Percy. It might have seemed an odd decision, but George knew his brother felt deep lingering guilt over Fred's death. It might have been manipulative to exploit that, but Percy was smart too and he reasoned that he might need his brains as well as his guilt.

Plans laid, all he needed to do was get ahold of his brother. He'd tried the floo first but Percy hadn't been in. Thankfully, Jacksy was still staying with him while Hermione was away so he sent the grey bird off with a note.

Much faster than he had anticipated, there was a crack of apparition and a knock at his door. Anxious excitement nearly bubbled over. This was it. He just had to convince Perce and then he could save Fred.

"That was fast, desperate to see me Perce..."

It was not Percy at his door.

"Hermione. Eh... you're back!"

He glanced over his shoulder at the mysterious device and pile of notes lying on his kitchen table, nearly in view of the doorway. By the time he looked back at the witch on his stoop, she was already pushing past him into his flat. Clearly in something of a state, Hermione dropped her bag and robes on the sofa and—to George's mounting horror—headed straight for the kitchen.

"Eh... how was your trip, Hermione?"

Trying to put himself between the table and her line of sight, George tried for casualness as she puttered about reaching for the tea things. Dashing at tears he hadn't noticed before, she flashed him a sad smile.

"It was lovely. My parents are wonderful dentists and treat their patients like family." She flicked her wand at the kettle to set it to heat and plopped tea bags in his mismatched mugs. "Thank you for convincing me to go, George. They'll never be my parents again, but I needed closure, I think."

Hermione's watery smile nearly had him forgetting about the piles of incriminating evidence on the table behind him. Thankfully he caught himself before revealing everything to give her the hug she obviously needed. How to be the mutual emotional support they'd been for each other recently while still ushering her out of his flat as soon as possible?